Phone etiquette..... position, like, business, silence, people

andy

Preface: In my position and my business, my clients generally aren't the brightest people. Most of them are pretty far from it. However, I can't figure this out.
Lately, it seems that every fool who calls me does not know how to end a phone conversation. I give the client/prospect the information they want and they reply with quot;okquot; and silence. So I end up having to say, well thank you, and then, inevitably quot;okquot; and more silence.   It's like, WTF? Do you know how to say thank you?  Do you know how to say quot;thanks for your helpquot; or even, quot;ok, thank you.quot; to end the conversation? I think today I'm going to just sit there in silence waiting for them to close it, because it seems people have lost this simple skill too.
Do any of you do this?  
I know when I call somewhere and get the info I need or whatever, I end with something like quot; okay great, thank you, have a nice dayquot; or something like that.
Or, this is even better. A current client calls and says quot;yeah, my name is xxxxxxx.quot; and then silence. Well okay joe....are you just calling to tell me your name? Then sometimes they're like quot;do you need to look up my file?quot;  And I have to reply with quot;well I need to know what I can do for you firstquot;
Simple phone etiquette.......WHAT IS IT YOU'RE CALLING FOR?  Once in a blue moon someone will call and say quot;Hi my name is xxx and I just need to know when my renewal is duequot;  That's great. I can handle that. I can't freaking stand it when someone calls, tells me their name, and doesn't say anything else.    This one is the best though:  quot;i'm xxxxxx and i think my insurance collapsedquot;   Collapsed? How does insurance collapse? How do people get to start using terms like that?   Policies don't collapse. They cancel because you did something stupid or didn't make payments.
This one is pretty good too.  quot;Yeah my policy collapsed in november and i need to renew it.quot;   Well, you can't renew a policy that cancelled 3 months ago. You have to be rewritten.
/rant.  Sorry, I just come in to work today, I'm barely starting my paperwork and the assclowns call up acting all goddamn retarded and ghetto. This isn't your homeboy you're calling, don't talk to me like a homeboy.

.what do you do...i just wanna know so if i finaly do have to call what ever it is you work for i dont sound like a ****tard

.Haha... welcome to the world of idiots, also know as the real world (but you already know that)

I deal with purchasing manager (industrial) all the time and most of them are soo old school that they usually don't say quot;hiquot; or quot;how are youquot; ever.  But the worst ones by far are the construction contractors I deal with occassionally because they are construction workers that made it up the ranks, now imagine that conversation!  

I hate the fact that most do not have the phone etiquette I would like em to, but as soon as I tell them something they like hearing, they turn pretty peppy and happy!

.I'm an insurance agent. That's why I can't understand how these people survive...if they can't even hold a phone conversation.

Or people who mumble on the phone or have the phone so close to their mouth everything is slurred. It's even better when I have to say quot;excuse mequot; so they repeat themselves, and i have to do it so many times they get pissed because I can't friggin understand 'em!

.I get that in my one retail job too. You can't really expect everyone to be educated and know how to end a phone coversation. Hell, if I posted my distric managers most recent e-mail (which was faxed to every store) about dress code, you would laugh (like I did)! There are so many spelling an gramar mistakes! I am not the best with those things, but I know how to use spell check and proof-read an e-mail before I send it out for everyone to see!

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Originally Posted by cburwellHell, if I posted my distric managers most recent e-mail (which was faxed to every store) about dress code, you would laugh (like I did)! There are so many spelling an gramar mistakes! I am not the best with those things, but I know how to use spell check and proof-read an e-mail before I send it out for everyone to see!

yeah that's the kind of thing that is inexcusable in a professional atmosphere, especially from management to employees.

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Originally Posted by cburwellI get that in my one retail job too. You can't really expect everyone to be educated and know how to end a phone coversation. Hell, if I posted my distric managers most recent e-mail (which was faxed to every store) about dress code, you would laugh (like I did)! There are so many spelling an gramar mistakes! I am not the best with those things, but I know how to use spell check and proof-read an e-mail before I send it out for everyone to see!

you misspelled quot;andquot;...

.Let me give you a suggestion Mike.  once you think the call has ended.  Say quot;is there anything else I can help you with?quot; Then if they say no, Say, quot;thanks, have a nice dayquot;

In the end most people expect to be prompted by the person they are calling.  For example if they call in and just say their name, follow up with quot;what can I help you with today?quot;

Get used to it, this is how the world works.

.believe me David, I've tried saying that. The usual response is quot;okquot;.  quot;Is there anything else I can do for you?quot;......*silence*.......quot;Um, okquot;      ???????
I'm used to it, but it isn't any less annoying haha.

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Originally Posted by davidLet me give you a suggestion Mike.  once you think the call has ended.  Say quot;is there anything else I can help you with?quot; Then if they say no, Say, quot;thanks, have a nice dayquot;

In the end most people expect to be prompted by the person they are calling.  For example if they call in and just say their name, follow up with quot;what can I help you with today?quot;

Get used to it, this is how the world works.

Umm.. yea.  If your job requires answering the phone.. one would expect for you to be asking the questions and ending the call.. haven't you called anyone lately?  They end with, quot;Thanks for calling today Mr. Devlyn, is there anything further I can help you with? quot;  quot;No, thats itquot;  quot;Well thank you very much, and you have a good day.quot;

I'm confused, are you an insurance agent?  If so, ya better learn these things if you want repeat customers and referrals

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Originally Posted by emo_kidyou misspelled quot;andquot;...

That's my point!  I know I suck at spelling and grammar, so if I have to send out a professional e-mail I use all of the tools available to me to help catch my mistakes.

.just start any conversation by saying quot;hi, thanks for calling, this call is going to cost you 2 dollars per minute, how can I help you?quot;  and you'll see how fast they pose their problems....

the prob with phones is neither person has a clue to what the other one is doing.... so impose yourself, set the tone, tell them goodbye, have a nice day and hang up, period

.The Auto Parts Business is the absolute facking worse...People call don't know what to call a part, or call it by something else(then you sell them the wrong part, they come back and blame you).....

I agree on the pausing thing I have a customer who does that and when I have 4 lines going at one time it does nothing but irritate me...I've gotten to the point after I get done giving him his price and schit I just hang up...

Typical Conversation:
Me: Thanks for calling lt;businessgt;  this is Rob
Him: Rob, Scott lt;businessgt; (Pause, at least 20 seconds)
me: Yeah Scott whats up
Him: Radiator (ANOTHER Pause)
Me: Ok...What are we working on.
Him: Chevy, s10, 95
Me: Ok What enigine
Him: (Pause Here) 4.3

LoL This goes on and on and on...Until I'm so friggin pissed that I just wanna hang up

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Originally Posted by davidLet me give you a suggestion Mike. once you think the call has ended. Say quot;is there anything else I can help you with?quot; Then if they say no, Say, quot;thanks, have a nice dayquot;

In the end most people expect to be prompted by the person they are calling. For example if they call in and just say their name, follow up with quot;what can I help you with today?quot;

Get used to it, this is how the world works.

Have to agree with David.

It's called controlling the phone call.. I did 2.5 years of tech support with different companies...

If you setup and use some call scripts.. it will definetly speed up how long you are on a call, as well as keep it to the point.

You can't expect customers to be professional. Its your job, as a face of your business to keep it on that plane.

A good opening script will get the exact information you need from your callers, as well as set them in the direction you need to go.

It comes with time, and understanding the phone-customer mentality.

.i guess i can relate..i work at GameStop and people call me asking me what game they are talking about...working there to them means ive played every game know to man...

ME: Thank you for calling GameStop this is kason how may i help you?
THEM: Yeah i was woundering if you guys have that game with the guy that has the really big gun?
ME: Do you know what system its on?
THEM: No i just played it at my friends house...its either xbox ps2 or gamecube i know that...sigh...most of the time i just say...no sir we ran out...